I used to be someone who took pride in being able to find my way around a city by myself. But during a recent trip to Wuxi in Jiangsu province, I was shown the sights by a guide that made me question my stubborn belief in independent travel.

What made my guide so special? Well, it was full of useful tips, knew all the best restaurants, never got lost, and, best of all, I could fit it easily inside my pocket.

Yes, my guide was an app called Aiyowei, an online platform produced by Wuxi that integrates a huge range of features, helping visitors to find their way around the beautiful city on the shores of Taihu Lake.

I have the owner of a convenience store near Wuxi Railway Station to thank for introducing me to Aiyowei. Making a beeline for his store as soon as I got off the train, my eyes were drawn to a beautiful illustrated map of Wuxi depicting the city's 81 cultural sites and 43 scenic spots.

As I stepped out of the store clutching my new map, the owner's gravelly but cheerful voice called after me: "Scan the QR code on the back!" So I did, and was taken to a website to download the app.

Once I had installed Aiyowei, I realized that I could scan any site on my paper map and the app would immediately provide me with a huge range of information about the place in question, including routes to get there, travel guides and shopping tips.

I put Aiyowei to the test by selecting the 5A-level scenic spot Turtle Head Isle as my first stop.

Following the app's guide, I took a shuttle bus to the 100-year-old scenic area, where I wandered around Yuanzhuchuntao, one of the most beautiful parts of Turtle Head Isle, with stunning views of Taihu Lake.

Tourists can use a mobile phone app as a guide in their tours around Wuxi, Jiangsu province. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY